Governor Roel Degamo on Wednesday handed over a total of P129,000 in cash assistance to 43 former supporters of the rebel New People’s Army (NPA) who are now back in mainstream society.
The turnover of individual checks of P3,000 each to the 43 beneficiaries was held at the headquarters of the 79th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army in Siaton, Negros Oriental.
According to Gov. Degamo, the cash assistance to the former NPA supporters, commonly known as members of the “Yunit Militia”, is an indication of the provincial government’s sincere desire to help address and eradicate the insurgency problem in the province.
“We are seriously attending to the insurgency problem and we expect more (NPA rebels/supporters) to return to the folds of the law,” said the governor.
Degamo said that the recipients are also expected to receive cash assistance for livelihood from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) under the government’s Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP).
The former NPA supporters who received their cash assistance are from the villages of Nagbinlod in Sta. Catalina town and Cuadra, Mantikil and Tayak in Siaton, according to Lt. Col. Harry Pascua, the newly installed OIC commander of the 79th Infantry Battalion.
Lt. Col. Pascua said these people have been convinced to return to the fold of the law as a result of the Internal Peace and Security Plan “Bayanihan”.
“Bayanihan” teams have been deployed to various areas in the province identified earlier as affected by the insurgency problem to attend to and help address the different issues and needs of the people.
As of latest report, at least 17 barangays in Negros Oriental remain affected by the insurgency but an evaluation is currently being done to determine which of these barangays have already been cleared of the problem. (PNA/JFP)
